1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a cymbal system comprising at least one cymbal that incorporates a curved main body and a central bore for disposition on a vertical stand, wherein successive elevations and/or indentations are formed on the curved main body in the direction of its circumference.
2. Background Art
In one known cymbal system of this type, a conventionally designed, upwardly concave cymbal is combined with an upwardly convex cymbal that has a wavy outer edge. The purpose of the waviness is that when the upper and lower cymbal make contact due to their relative movements in the axial direction when they are played, air from the interior space between the two cymbals, which is compressed by their movement, can escape radially to the outside, so that no retarding air cushion is formed and a clear, hard sound is ensured.
Also known are cymbal systems wherein a central, stationary cymbal is provided on a vertical stand, and an upper cymbal of a smaller diameter and a lower cymbal of a larger diameter are struck against it when they are played, due to an appropriate drive mechanism via a foot pedal.
It is known, as a rule, to design the main body of such cymbals wavy, as seen in the radial direction, i.e., circular elevations and indentations exist in the top view.
With this known prior art as the starting point, the invention has as its object to improve a cymbal system of the above type in such a way that completely novel sound effects can be achieved, which are suitable particularly for a newly developed trend among musical styles, the xe2x80x9cDrum""n Bassxe2x80x9d.
This object is met according to the invention in such a way that the elevations and indentations that extend in the circumferential direction are disposed at a distance from the outer edge of the main body.
According to the invention, successive elevations and indentations are thus provided in the circumferential direction on the inner portion of the main body, which, in combination with a second cymbal disposed on top thereof, result in a completely new, slightly rattling or jazzy sound effect, particularly when the cymbal system is struck with the shaft of a drum stick. The prerequisite for this is that two cymbals of this type are not tightly fastened in the axial direction but that a certain axial play is ensured and this axial play can be adjustable in a manner known per se, and the effect is more or less pronounced, depending on that adjustment.
A further embodiment of the invention advantageously provides for the cymbal system to comprise two cymbals of different diameters, with the elevations and indentations formed on the larger diameter cymbal and extending radially from the central opening to the region of the outer edge of the smaller cymbal, and with the two cymbals both formed upwardly convex.
Provision may furthermore advantageously be made for the smaller diameter cymbal to have elevations and/or indentations in the region of its outer edge, for the elevations and/or indentations to be designed approximately wave-like in cross-section, for at least one cymbal that is formed upwardly concave to be provided at the underside of the system.
A cymbal located on top is advantageously provided with elevations and indentations in its edge region, with a spacing of the elevations and indentations that is different from the spacing of the elevations and indentations in the central region of the main body of a cymbal disposed beneath it.
Details of the invention will become apparent form the ensuing description of preferred exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the drawing.